First Annual MSU MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 Video Codec Comparison

Average brightness shift diagrams

These diagrams show average shift of brightness produced by the codecs.
Coordinates of the basic points represent average brightness values for the whole sequence
and the number of measurement (bit rate). So each branch contains ten points that correspond
to different bit rates.

Bankomatdi sequence

Picture 36. Y-difference. Sequence bankomatdi

Conclusions:

All the H.264 codecs raise average brightness in the sequence. The more is the bit rate the more brightness changes.

Fraunhofer codec raises brightness stronger than the other codecs.

Battle sequence

Picture 37. Y-difference. Sequence battle

Conclusions:

All the H.264 codecs raise average brightness in the sequence. The more is the bit rate the more brightness changes.

Videosoft codec raises brightness stronger than the other codecs.

Bbc3di sequence

Picture 38. Y-difference. Sequence bbc3di

Conclusions:

All the H.264 codecs raise average brightness in the sequence on the average and high bit rates. The more is the bit rate the more brightness changes.

Change of brightness on the low bit rates is small.

Foreman sequence

Picture 39. Y-difference. Sequence foreman

Conclusions:

All the H.264 codecs except Fraunhofer strongly raise average brightness in the sequence. The more is the bit rate the more brightness changes.

Susidi sequence

Picture 40. Y-difference. Sequence susidi

Conclusions:

All the H.264 codecs strongly raise average brightness in the sequence. This change is approximately constant for all the bit rates.

Bit rate handling diagrams

These diagrams show how codecs handle different bit rates. Every branch consists of ten points that correspond to different bit rates. Value “1” means that the codec keeps the specified bit rate; value more than “1” means that the codec actually compresses with the higher bit rate than was specified.

Foreman sequence

Susidi sequence

Picture 45. Bit rate handling. Sequence susidi

Conclusions:

DivX increases specified low bit rates.

Per frame sequences comparison

These diagrams show how compression quality changes from frame to frame. X-axis coordinate represents the number of the frame and Y-axis coordinate represents PSNR-value for this frame. Significant constant difference on the susidi diagram is caused by the noise suppression in every second frame (B-frames options in MPEG-2 coder).

Bankomatdi sequence

Bit rate = 100 Kb/sec

Bit rate = 700 Kb/sec

Bit rate = 2340 Kb/sec

Battle sequence

Bit rate = 100 Kb/sec

Bit rate = 700 Kb/sec

Bit rate = 2340 Kb/sec

Bbc3di sequence

Bit rate = 100 Kb/sec

Bit rate = 700 Kb/sec

Bit rate = 2340 Kb/sec

Foreman sequence

Bit rate = 100 Kb/sec

Bit rate = 700 Kb/sec

Bit rate = 2340 Kb/sec

Susidi sequence

Bit rate = 100 Kb/sec

Bit rate = 700 Kb/sec

Bit rate = 2340 Kb/sec

Visual comparison of H.264 and DivX codecs

Comparison was performed between the Ateme and DivX codecs.

Bit rate was set to 700 Kb/sec.

Bbc2di and foreman video sequences were used.

Bbc3di sequence, frame 280

The following examples demonstrate better image quality after compression with the H.264 codec in comparison with DivX.

Picture 46. Bbc3di frame 280. Ateme

Picture 47. Bbc3di frame 280. DivX

Picture 48. Bbc3di frame 280. Ateme

Picture 49. Bbc3di frame 280. DivX

Picture 50. Bbc3di frame 280. Ateme

Picture 51. Bbc3di frame 280. DivX

Foreman sequence, frames 282 and 9

The following examples demonstrate better image quality after compression with the H.264 codec in comparison with DivX.